A group of current and incoming Republican lawmakers are proposing a Contract with Texas, a set of reforms promising to improve the integrity, transparency, and efficiency of the Texas House.
The letter, signed by 13 members and members-elect, notes that while Republicans hold every statewide office and both chambers of the legislature, Democrats have held an outsized role in determining policy in the Texas House.
“[F]or far too long, Republican Speakers of the Texas House have centralized power to themselves, which renders individual Texans without effective representation, and colluded with Democrats to advance progressive policies and stop Republican priorities,” the letter reads.
“The House’s most recent session was marked by obstruction, dysfunction, and a lack of fundamental fairness in application of the House’s Rules, and this cannot continue. The message of last month’s primaries was self-evident and sent a clear message that business as usual is not acceptable.”
To that end, the lawmakers have called on the next Speaker of the House to implement the following 12 reforms:
- Only solicit support for Speakership from Republican members
- End the practice of awarding Democrats with committee chairmanships
- Ensure all GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democrat bills
- Replace the current liberal Parliamentarians with staff committed to only offering advice on adherence to House rules, not to advancing their personal ideology
- Limit the Speaker to two terms to reduce their power over individual members
- Ensure there are no longer any Democrat-majority committees
- Stop parliamentary abuse by requiring only substantial adherence to House rules to keep hyper-technical points of order from killing good legislation
- Allow audio/video recording of all House proceedings, including point of order debates
- Start substantive work as soon as Session begins to end delays that kill priority legislation
- Reform the Calendars Committee to increase transparency and accountability
- Select a Republican as Speaker Pro Tempore
- Decentralize power by prohibiting the distribution of political funds from the Speaker
“The future of our state is on the line, and, with an out-of-control federal government that seeks to undermine our borders, the Constitution, and our freedoms, Texas must lead by example. As conservative Republican members and prospective members of the Texas House, we are committed to reforming it from a body of liberal dysfunction to a body that more faithfully serves Texas voters, and it is time for new leadership in the Texas House,” the group wrote.
The letter was signed by current Republican State Reps. Brian Harrison (Midlothian), Nate Schatzline (Fort Worth), Steve Toth (The Woodlands), Tony Tinderholt (Arlington), and J.M Lozano (Kingsville).
Prospective incoming members Mitch Little, Don McLaughlin, Matt Morgan, Wes Virdell, Janis Holt, Shelley Luther, Brent Money, and Mike Olcott also signed the letter.
“Texans expect and demand more from us. These changes will allow us to respond to the challenges they have identified, and we intend to fulfill our promise to our constituents — the promise to reform the Texas House,” the group concluded.
While the initial draft has signatories, the group is inviting all their colleagues to join in the effort.
The full Contract with Texas can be read here.
